Hermetically sealed containers with unitary closures are known. Such containers typically have a body portion, a neck portion or boss defining an access port, and a closure structure to close and seal the port.
It is also known to provide such containers with means for permitting the containers to be opened by puncturing the closure seal to form a dispensing orifice. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,454,196 and 4,723,687.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,687 to Kutterer discloses a cap having a cutting structure for cutting the entire disk-shaped membrane from the container neck. This can provide a relatively large opening within the container neck. However, in some applications, it may be desirable to provide a very small dispensing orifice having a controlled diameter for uniformly dispensing a very fine stream or small drops of liquid. Thus, it would be desirable to provide an improved system in which such a controlled dispensing orifice could be readily provided in a closure membrane.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,196 to Hazard discloses a cap having a plug 42 for rupturing a diaphragm seal in a container nozzle or spout. Although the rupturing of the diaphragm forms a dispensing opening, it would be desirable, in some applications, to insure that the opening has a controlled, predetermined diameter for dispensing a fine stream or uniform drops of liquid from the container.
Further, it would also be desirable to provide an improved opening system in which a dispensing orifice can be created with improved, and predictable, flow characteristics. It would be particularly advantageous if the components of such an improved system could be readily manufactured in a substantially uniformly consistent manner within dimensional tolerances sufficient to provide the desired, predetermined dispensing characteristics from container-to-container.
Additionally, it would be beneficial if such an improved system could accommodate the subsequent closing of the open container in a manner that provides a leak-tight seal and that accommodates later reopening and closing.
Further, it would be beneficial if such an improved package could be readily manufactured by conventional, and relatively inexpensive, processes.
The present invention provides system designs that can accommodate one or more of the aforementioned benefits and features.